Turntable



Aug. 4, 1936. A. F. MacDONALD 2,049,813

TURNTABLE May 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l [Mei J07.-

Aug. 4, 1936. A. F. M DONALD 2,049,813

TURNTABLE Filed May 21, 1934- I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1936TURNTABLE Albert r; MacDonald, Leetsdale, Pa. ApplicationMay Zl', 1934,SerialiNo. 726,805 1 Claims. (01.. 104 -35) Thisinvention relatestoturntables such as are used by railroads for turning locomotives and byother industries for turning loadsof various sorts.

There are two-types:oftheseturntables. One is 5' the cantilever type inwhich the load. is supported entirely by a centrally located'pivotr Theother and more modern one is the continuous type wherein the-load isdivided between a centrally located pivot and trucks riding on a cir-1'0 cular rail arranged concentrically about this pivot. Since the firstmentioned type must necessarily also include a circular rail, it ispossible to effect its conversion to the second mentioned type bysubstituting heavier trucks in such a manner that they carry a part ofthe load formerly concentrated on: the pivot. 1

One 'of the objects of the present inventor is to provide a turntable ofthe continuous type which is of such construction that the load: may bedis- 20. tributed between the three supporting points to betteradvantage than is possible in the case of turntables of previously knownconstruction.

Another object isto provide an improved method of converting acantilever type turntable to a continuous type turntable so that it isunnecessary to cut the main girders. Other objects may be inferred.

Figure 1 shows the top of a turntable constructed according to thepresent invention as it appears when a new or original installation.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section from the line 11-11 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section from the line III-III in Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 show the top and longitudinal section of the end of aconventional cantilever type turntable.

Figure 6 shows the conversion of this turntable to the continuous typein accordance with r the present invention.

The figures illustrating the example of a new installation show aturntable including interconnected continuous main girders l arranged inspaced parallel relationship. A pivot 2 centrally supports these maingirders, and a circular pit rail 3 is arranged beneath these maingirders concentrically about this pivot. Loading girders 4 extend overthe rail 3 from the outsides of the main girders I. Trucks 5 ride on thepit rail 3 completely outside and away from under the main girders l andsupport the latter through the loading girders 4. Two of the trucks, oneat each end of the main girders 2, may be provided with a means forpowering the same, such as the electric motors 6 which may be geared tothe truck wheels in anysuitable'manner. The 'drameter of the pit rail-3' is substantially-less than V the lengths of the main girders l Thevarious details of construction involved in the arrangement of the maingirdersl-, the ar- 5'- rangement of the loading girders 4 and theprovision of the trucks 5 are not disclosed, for the reason that theymay be easily supplied by any structural steel engineer; v g 7 Toillustrate the new method the drawings r0" show a portion of acantilever typeof turntable including main girders T, pit rail 8 andtruck 9-; the latter being arranged directly beneath-the main girders-1in'the conventional manner; It is tobe understood that the trucks 9 areonly in- T5- tended to support'the main girders 1- during the time alocomotive is beingdrivenonto'the turntable, and that the usualicentrally located pivot carries the entire load during the} turningoperation'. I

According to the new" method this turntable is convertedby removingthe-truck's 9-; attaching; short girders ill to the-main girders r50 asto extend away from the outsides thereof horizontally over the pit rail8, arranging trucks H, of 25 suitable strength, on the rails 8completely outside and away from under the main girders I and under theshort girders l0, and then interconnecting the trucks II and the shortgirders l0 so that the load from the main girders 1 is trans- 3O mittedto the trucks l l by way of the short girders it. One of the trucks IIat each of the ends of the main girders 1 may be powered by means of anelectric motor l2 driving one of the wheels of the trucks throughsuitable gearing. No details 35 of construction are included for thereason that they depend upon the fancy of the designer of the conversionparts.

In all cases, one of the primary features of the invention is thepositioning of the load carrying 40 trucks completely outside and awayfrom under the ends of the main girders, the load being transmitted byshort loading girders extending from the outsides of the main girdersover the pit rail and arranged in connection with the trucks. It 45 isapparent that the invention is applicable to "both deck-type andthrough-type turntables.

I claim:

l. A turntable including the combination of interconnecting laterallyspaced main girders, a 50 pivot centrally supporting said main girders,a circular rail arranged beneath said girders concentrically about saidpivot, loading girders extending over said rail from the outsides ofsaid main girders, said loading girders being in con- 55 nection withsaid main girders, and trucks riding said rail and supporting said maingirders through said loading girders, said trucks being in connectionwith said loading girders.

2. A turntable including the combination of interconnecting laterallyspaced main girders, a pivot centrally supporting said main girders, acircular rail arranged beneath said girders concentrically about saidpivot, loading girders extending over said rail from the outsides ofsaid main girders, said loading girders being in connection with saidmain girders, and trucks rid.- ing said rail completely outside and awayfrom under said main girders and supporting the latter through saidloading girders, said trucks being in connection with said loadinggirders.

3. A turntable including the combination of interconnecting laterallyspaced main girders, a pivot centrally supporting said main girders, acircular rail arranged beneath said girders concentrically about saidpivot, loading girders extending over said rail from the outsides ofsaid main girders, said loading girders being in connection with saidmain girders, andtrucks riding said rail and supporting said maingirders through said loading girders, the diameter of said rail beingsubstantially less than the lengths of said main girders and said trucksbeing in connection with said loading girders.

4; A turntable including the combination of interconnecting laterallyspaced main girders, a pivot centrally supporting said main girders, acircular rail arranged beneath said girders concentrically about saidpivot, loading girders extending over said rail from the outsides ofsaid main girders, said loading girders being in connection with saidmain girders, and trucks riding said rail completely outside and awayfrom under said main girders and supporting the latter through saidloading girders, the diameter of said rail being substantially less thanthe lengths of said main girders and said trucks being in connectionwith said loading girders.

5. A turntable including the combination of interconnected continuousmain girders arranged in spaced parallel relationship, a pivot centrallysupporting said main girders, a circular rail arranged beneath said maingirders concentrically about said pivot, loading girders extending oversaid rail from the outsides of said main girders, said loading girdersbeing in connection with said main girders, trucks riding said railcompletely outside and away from under said main girders and supportingthe latter through said loading girders, and means for powering at leastone of said trucks, said trucks being in connection with said loadinggirders.

6. A turntable including the combination of interconnected continuousmain girders arranged in spaced parallel relationship, a pivot centrallysupporting said main girders, a circular rail are ranged beneath saidmain girders concentrically about said pivot, loadring girders extendingover said rail from the outsides of said main girders, said loadinggirders being in connection with said main girders, trucks riding saidrail completely outside and away from under said main girders andsupporting the latter through said loading girders, and means forpowering at least one of said trucks, the diameter of said rail beingsubstantially less than the lengths of said main girders and said trucksbeing in connection with said loading girders.

7. A method of converting a cantilever type of turntable to a continuoustype, including attaching short girders to the main girders of saidturntable so as toextend away from the outsides thereof horizontallyover the latters pit rail, arranging trucks on said pit rail completelyoutsideand away from under said main girders and under said shortgirders, and interconnecting said trucks and said short girders so thatthe load from said main girders is transmitted to the former by Way ofthe latter. 7

ALBERT F. MACDONALD.

